Jours de Cirque
Open-air circus festival in Bourg-Saint-Andéol and surroundings
About Jours de Cirque
Circus at the heart of Southern Ardèche
Every first weekend of May, La Cascade, a national center for circus arts located in Bourg-Saint-Andéol, opens its doors wide and takes over the streets of the town and neighboring communes for Jours de Cirque. This free and popular festival brings contemporary circus into public spaces: squares, schoolyards, farmers' markets, and flea markets become ephemeral stages for surprising performances.
Contemporary Circus Companies
The Jours de Cirque program features leading contemporary circus companies. The 2024 edition hosted shows like "Faudrait pas rester plantés là" by Cie La Folle Allure (acrobatic bike duo), "Vent d'Ouest" by Les P'tits Bras (street circus with 6 artists, aerial acrobatics, and New Orleans-style music), and "Parole en l'air" by Duo GingerMoustache (talkative circus). Contemporary art exhibitions also complement the program.
A Traveling Festival Across the Territory
On Saturday, the shows are concentrated in Bourg-Saint-Andéol, with performances in the afternoon and evening, guided tours of the town (2,000 years of history), and visits to La Cascade. On Sunday, the circus hits the road to perform in neighboring towns: Bidon, Larnas, Saint-Just-d'Ardèche, and other villages in the DRAGA territory.
A Free and Popular Event
Jours de Cirque is entirely free and open to all. This popular festival contributes to the influence of La Cascade and contemporary circus creation, while creating a shared moment of celebration between artists, residents, and visitors in the heart of Southern Ardèche.
Jours de Cirque — edition 2026
The Jours de Cirque 2026 will take place on Saturday, May 2 and Sunday, May 3, 2026 in Bourg-Saint-Andéol and in the neighboring communes of Bidon, Larnas, and Saint-Just-d'Ardèche. Organized by La Cascade, Pôle national des arts du cirque, this edition offers two days of free shows with invited companies such as Les Enfants Sérieux, Les Quat'fers en l'air, Cie BaNCALE, Cie Delá Praká, and Cie Kilombo, as well as a photographic exhibition and heritage tours.
Jours de Cirque 2026 — May 2 and 3
The Jours de Cirque return on Saturday, May 2 and Sunday, May 3, 2026 in Bourg-Saint-Andéol and in the communes of the DRAGA territory. La Cascade, national center for circus arts, offers two days of free contemporary circus shows outdoors, punctuated by heritage tours and a photographic exhibition.
Saturday, May 2 in Bourg-Saint-Andéol
On Saturday, the shows are concentrated in Bourg-Saint-Andéol with four events: « Belle à mourir » by Les Enfants Sérieux (Chinese pole, disco dance and quick-change magic, at 2:30 PM at Vallon de Tourne), « Les Fleurs du Tapis » by Les Quat'fers en l'air (Chinese pole acrobatics, at 2:30 PM at La Gare), « Monsieur Patate » by Cie BaNCALE (4:30 PM at Place du Champ de Mars) and « Maiador » by Cie Delá Praká (6:30 PM at Place du Champ de Mars), followed by a DJ set by Radio TBTF at 7:30 PM. Guided tours of Vallon de Tourne and La Cascade at 1:30 PM, and photographic exhibition « Tissues and bones » by Anne-Laure Étienne in the hall of La Cascade from 1 PM to 6 PM.
Sunday, May 3 on the road
On Sunday, the circus hits the road. In Bidon: Flash Patrimoine at 10 AM and « La Pause » by Compagnie Kilombo at 11 AM. In Larnas: heritage tour of the church at 2 PM and « Les Fleurs du Tapis » by Les Quat'fers en l'air at 3 PM. In Saint-Just-d'Ardèche: bell tower climbs from 4 PM to 5 PM and « Belle à mourir » by Les Enfants Sérieux at 5 PM in the schoolyard. Refreshment stands provided by local associations in each village.
A popular and free festival
All shows and tours are free. For food, food trucks are set up at Place du Champ de Mars in Bourg-Saint-Andéol in the afternoon and evening, and downtown merchants also welcome the public.
Programme Jours de Cirque 2026
Saturday, May 2, 2026 — Bourg-Saint-Andéol
- 1:00 PM → 6:00 PM — Exhibition « Tissues and bones » by Anne-Laure Étienne · Hall of La Cascade
- 1:30 PM — Guided tour « Rediscovery of Vallon de Tourne » (45 min)
- 1:30 PM — Backstage tour of La Cascade, National Circus Center (45 min)
- 2:30 PM — « Belle à mourir » · Les Enfants Sérieux · Vallon de Tourne — Chinese pole, disco dance and quick-change magic around beauty standards (40 min, from 6 years old, creation)
- 2:30 PM — « Les Fleurs du Tapis » · Les Quat'fers en l'air · La Gare — Chinese pole acrobatics and absurd characters (40 min, all audiences)
- 4:30 PM — « Monsieur Patate » · Cie BaNCALE · Place du Champ de Mars
- 6:30 PM — « Maiador » · Cie Delá Praká · Place du Champ de Mars
- 7:30 PM — DJ set by Radio TBTF · Place du Champ de Mars
Sunday, May 3, 2026 — Bidon, Larnas and Saint-Just-d'Ardèche
- 10:00 AM — Bidon · Flash Patrimoine (guided tour 45 min) — meeting point at the village
- 11:00 AM — Bidon · « La Pause » · Compagnie Kilombo — Circus and music on daily routines (45 min, all audiences)
- 2:00 PM — Larnas · Flash Patrimoine of the church (45 min)
- 3:00 PM — Larnas · « Les Fleurs du Tapis » · Les Quat'fers en l'air · Behind the church
- 4:00 PM → 5:00 PM — Saint-Just-d'Ardèche · Bell tower climbs (departures every 10 min) · Church square
- 5:00 PM — Saint-Just-d'Ardèche · « Belle à mourir » · Les Enfants Sérieux · Schoolyard
Refreshment stands provided by local associations (Amis de Bidon, associations of Larnas and Saint-Just-d'Ardèche). Food trucks at Place du Champ de Mars in Bourg-Saint-Andéol on Saturday afternoon and evening.
Highlights Jours de Cirque 2026
- Free contemporary circus shows on May 2 and 3, 2026
- Programming in Bourg-Saint-Andéol (Saturday) then touring in Bidon, Larnas, and Saint-Just-d'Ardèche (Sunday)
- Guest companies: Les Enfants Sérieux, Les Quat'fers en l'air, Cie BaNCALE, Cie Delá Praká, Compagnie Kilombo
- Creation « Belle à mourir » by Les Enfants Sérieux (Chinese pole, disco dance, magic)
- Photo exhibition « Tissues and bones » by Anne-Laure Étienne in the hall of La Cascade
- Heritage tours: Vallon de Tourne, backstage of La Cascade, Larnas church, Saint-Just-d'Ardèche bell tower
- Food trucks and associative refreshment stands on site
- Organized by La Cascade, National Center for Circus Arts
Prices Jours de Cirque 2026
Practical information — Jours de Cirque
Access
Jours de Cirque takes place in Bourg-Saint-Andéol (07700) and surrounding towns (Bidon, Larnas, Saint-Just-d'Ardèche).
- By car: From Montélimar (20 km), A7 exit Montélimar-Sud then D86 towards Bourg-Saint-Andéol. From Aubenas (40 km), D104/D86.
- Parking: Free parking in the town center.
Schedules
- Saturday: Shows at 2:30 PM, 4:30 PM, 6:30 PM, and 8:00 PM in Bourg-Saint-Andéol
- Sunday: Shows in surrounding towns
Prices
Free admission for the entire festival.
Contact
- Organizer: La Cascade – National Center for Circus Arts
- Address: Bourg-Saint-Andéol (07700)
- Website: lacascade.org
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Where does it take place — Jours de Cirque
La Cascade – Pôle national des arts du cirque et centre-ville
9, Avenue Marc Pradelle, 07700 Bourg-Saint-Andéol, 07700 Bourg-Saint-Andéol